The West End Museum will premiere a new exhibit, “The Old Howard Theatre” on Tuesday, September 24 in celebration of Boston’s oldest playhouse, which once stood at the heart of Scollay Square.
A show reception will take place on Thursday, October 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Concurrent programs—a film screening, an author talk, and an evening of burlesque music—complement the show, which runs through February 15, 2020.
The Old Howard (officially, the Howard Athenaeum) enjoyed a heyday of opera, ballet, and serious drama performances through the late 1860s when its audience dwindled in favor of other local theaters. To claim new patrons, the theater ushered in an era of vaudeville starting in 1869. By the early 1900s, however, variety and burlesque had become the order of the day at the Howard, featuring such legendary performers as Gypsy Lee Rose, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, and Ann Corio.
As the burlesque performances grew more risqué, denouncement by the Watch and Ward Society and vice raids by the Boston Police escalated. Indecency charges forced the theater to close in 1853.
Seven years later, the Howard National Theatre and Museum Committee formed with a mission to return the Old Howard to its more “legitimate” age. Before those efforts could get off the ground, the building suffered a small and suspicious fire. Already in the swing of urban renewal, the City swooped in and demolished the building.
The Howard’s origin, glory days, and ultimate demise are recounted in the West End Museum Exhibit through photographs, artifacts, and graphic panels in the exhibit. The exhibit and reception are free; concurrent programs require admission for non-Museum members.
Learn more about the West End Museum on their website.
I’m pretty sure the date of the old Howard Theater closing in incorrect. They must have meant to say it closed in 1953 (vs. 1853).
It closed on the sixties 1962 to be exact. It was called The Old Howard Casino. Burlesque/strippers were thef featured attraction there and as young boys we would try and sneak in. Finally made it in and we watched Blaze Starr “perform” she was probably in her late 50s .On Sundays they would show Italian speaking movies..
Does anyone know where the this was burlesque show in 1978 or 79 was preformed with Ann Corio in the Boston area? I thought it was at the old Howard but I could be wrong. I auditioned for that show but didn’t get the part. Still have a picture of me and Ann Corio together at audition. It was in the Boston herald that day
The Old Howard was on Hanover St. In those days Hanover St went all the way to Scollay SQ which became Govt. Center. It was next to a Jack’s joke shop.The Howard was also known as the Casino theatre which showed movies in Italian on Sundays.Across the street there was a Johnny Walkers store which believe it or not sold Western apparell boots etc. and a dive called the Crawford house.
My friends and me were in our early teens too young to get in the Old Howard so we always tried “sneaking in” One night we hit paydirt and found a read door ajar. We saw “Blaze Starr” performing her act. She must have been in her sixties than.